Re-shaping the Universe (Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency)

Chapter 6

Two months earlier (before present day)

Blackwing was a hive of activity that day. It had been put into active mode, since there was someone coming who would kick off the hunt for the projects labelled 'out' and 'unknown'. A being so powerful was returning to Blackwing, and Priest's name was on everyone's lips. So, when the man himself arrived with an incredibly beautiful young woman by his side, dressed almost entirely in black, like he was, the place frothed with excitement.

Evangeline was lead through the corridors, her heart racing. She remembered the smell of the place, and something felt off. She kept trying to reach for Priest's hand, but he kept taking it away from her. His calmness was what she needed right now, and kept denying her. Priest led her into a briefing room, the screen lit up with a long list of names and symbols. Some of them were crossed out, some were highlighted green, others orange.

"Ah! Agent Priest! And you must be Evangeline Brooke – a pleasure to meet you, finally." Ken held his hand out to Ellie, who looked at it. She hadn't been in contact with another man in so long. She looked at Priest, who nodded to her, and only then did she consider shaking Ken's hand. "Alright... well, my name is Supervisor Adams. I'm in charge of this facility." Ellie still said nothing. She looked him up and down, looking again to Priest. "Doesn't say much, does she?"

"Greet Supervisor Adams, Ellie." Priest's voice had a hard edge to it.

"A pleasure." Ellie sniffed her response, stepping a little closer to Priest. She needed to touch his skin. Badly.

"Right, well – perhaps we can get to know each other when you're a little more settled in. Hmm?" Ellie gave a small nod, and sat down when Priest and Ken did. "You can leave us, Agent Priest."

"Unless you want to lecture yourself in silence, Supervisor Adams, I'll deign to stay." Priest smiled. "Better I'm here, since she trusts me and obeys me."

"...Right..." Ken shook his head and turned to the screen. He started with a short briefing on the current situation, and Priest nodded at each point. The facility was up and running again, ready to go. They firstly needed to identify and capture the remaining subjects, and bring them in. Then, the testing could begin, and then the training could begin. Ken had picked Priest's brain about the files they'd had on Evangeline, and had determined that she really was a god-like character in this bizarre theatre. She controlled everything, like a project manager. She put people where they needed to be, pulled the strings. She didn't dance – she was the DJ. The beat was hers, the tune was hers. The other projects danced as she wanted them to.

As they needed to.

Ken then ran down the projects they knew were still alive. He covered the minor ones – ones which hadn't caused any issues while they'd been at Blackwing. Ellie followed along attentively, since she'd been instructed to by Priest. But something nagged at her. Icarus... Project Icarus...

"Project Icarus is the final one. We have the most information on him, since he was here last. Not counting Project Marzanna, of course – she's here of her own volition. Project X, are you okay?"

Ellie was breathing a little harder. Photos of Project Icarus littered the screen in front of her, and a crushing wave of feelings crashed over her all at once.

She remembered Blackwing entirely. She remembered the testing, the abuse, the torture. She remembered the endless days and nights and weeks and months in solitary confinement. She remembered seeing the strings and pulling them. She remembered the balance, the need to manipulate and create, the ache for order and organisation. She remembered Svlad. Svlad Cjelli. Her first kiss. Her first taste of unconditional love. The first person to make her heart flutter... and then, she remembered the look on his face as he'd left her.